1. Technical Field
The invention relates to a locking assembly and specifically to an assembly for preventing the unauthorized use of an electrically powered device such as an audio cassette tape recorder, video cassette recorder, computer or compact disk player.
2. Background of the Invention
Locking assemblies for preventing the unauthorized use or theft of electrically powered devices such as audio cassette tape recorder, video cassette recorders and the like are known in the art. These assemblies generally take the form of a locking mechanism which is adapted to be inserted into the opening for the cassette, etc. provided by the devices to be locked. A key operated lock is most often employed to activate a mechanism to prevent the unauthorized removal of the assembly from the device. In this way, the locking assemblies of the prior art prevent the unauthorized use of the device and discourage theft. Examples of such assemblies can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,131,001 issued to Gotto on Dec. 26, 1978; U.S. Pat. No. 4,527,405 issued to Renick et al on July 9, 1985; U.S. Pat. No. 4,616,490 issued to Robbins on Oct. 14, 1986; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,655,057 issued to Derman on April 7, 1987.
Although the subject invention may be employed in conjunction with any electrically powered device adapted to receive a cassette, disc or the like, one possible use is with a video cassette recorder (VCR). Indeed, with the advent of the video cassette, a huge portion of the population has taking to viewing their favorite movies, etc. at home on their VCR. In fact, the VCR is almost as ubiquitous in the American home as the TV itself. Coincidently, many VCR owners are also parents of small children. Frequent use of the VCR gives the children the opportunity to observe the loading an unloading of a video tape into the VCR. Parents are many times thereafter confronted with children who have endeavored to load cookies, crackers, sandwiches and other things in the VCR which are not in accordance with proper use and which many times can cause severe damage to an expensive appliance.
However, the locking assemblies of the prior art which have endeavored to solve these and other problems have been generally complex, expensive or have the potential to damage the appliance. For example, the Gotto '001 patent discloses a locking mechanism which includes a complex and expensive gear transmission for translating rotational movement into linear movement. The locking assembly of the Renick et al '405 patent discloses a mechanism which relies on a screw driving nut for biasing a pair of cams into engagement with a cassette recorder. On the other hand, the '490 patent to Robbins as well as the '057 patent to Derman both disclose locking assemblies which include mechanisms for preventing the unauthorized withdrawal of the assembly from a cassette recorder or the like by engagement with the protective flap over the opening in the device for the cassette. However, these assemblies are prone to damaging the cassette recorders when someone attempts to remove the assembly when locked because the flaps are not designed as structural load bearing elements and can easily break under relatively small forces.
The subject invention overcomes all of these deficiencies in the prior art by providing an inexpensive, very effective locking assembly for preventing the unauthorized use of an electrically powered device.